Brewer's Test Kitchen: Moscow Mule Ale
Left Hand Brewing Company

 

On tap at Mule Bar

12oz. can from a variety pack, expiration 10/14/2020 - I've had bad beers before and managed to plow through every time, but this is completely undrinkable. It tastes like dilute floor soap smells, with a bittering agent added. Which is disappointing as I had really high hopes; on top of loving everything I've had from Left Hand, I also like lime, ginger and Moscow Mules. Maybe this was a bad can or it's just me having a weird reaction to the flavoring, so I'm going to save the other two from the pack and have others try them.

If you like lime & ginger, this is a great beer. If not, you probably won't like this. The lime & ginger are strong but you still get the beer.

Is a cloudy light color, & nice smell.

It is a light beer but has a medium beer flavor underneath.

 

Look - pale straw yellow color and mostly clear / slight haze - 1 finger head that dies off quickly - not many bubbles after that
Smell - tart lime and ginger - as expected - maybe a hint of biscuit and cracker
Taste - a nice tart bite right off the bat - most lime upfront then some ginger creeps up on you and takes over - stays really dry - trails off with some bread and crackers
Feel - light body - really thin - i hoped for more of a full mouthfeel - mainly flat after a minute or two
Overall - I have never had a Moscow mule drink but if it tastes like this I'll give them a try - I think there could have been a richer base beer to be a bit more balanced but this is an interesting brew - I'm not sure that I would pick this up very often or buy an entire 12 pack of it, but a nice refreshing drink once in awhile

 

 

It is back to/on The CANQuest (tm) fora bit as I CANduct CANother short brewery horizontal! This end of this adventure will segue nicely into a couple more horizontals & all in furtherance of TheCANQuest (tm). It's all very exciting!

From the CAN: " "Brewed on the banks of the mighty St. Vrain"; "Est. 1993"; "Crazy Limited"; "Moscow Mule Ale Style Ale with Ginger and Lime Juice added"; "26 IBU"; "Ingredients: Rocky Mountain water, Malted Barley, Rolled Oats, Hops, Ginger, Lime Juice, Yeast"; "Brewers: Adam Lawrence, Jeff Joslin"; "Employee Owned. Righteously Independent (tm)".

From the Brewery's Website: "From the Brewers: Inspired by the refreshing quality of a Moscow Mule cocktail, this beer is designed to be crisp and crushable. Brewed to help you find your happy place.

Tasting notes: Aromas of fresh lime and ginger combine with a light and effervescent mouthfeel. A chilled can will truly evoke the experience of holding an ice-cold copper mug. We used oats and malts to create a smooth body and Lemondrop hops for some zing. Together, these ingredients are in perfect balance for prime satisfaction.

Style notes: This is a light bodied ale with additions of lime peel, lime juice and ginger. Turning this classic cocktail into a crushable beer makes for the ultimate Moscow Mule experience.

IBU: 26, GLASS: Pub Glass, MALT: 2-Row, Carafoam, Rolled Oats, Flaked Barley, HOPS: Lemondrop, CTZ, OTHER: Ginger, Lime.

Brewed by Adam Lawrence & Jeff Joslin".

I Crack!ed the vent & performed an inverted Glug for the first time in a while. This led to the formation of two-pus fingers of fizzy, foamy, soapy, rocky, bone-white head with limited retention, quickly fizzing into wisps. Color was an oh-so-faintly-hazy Yellow-Gold (SRM = 4 - 5). Nose was simply redolent with its lime & ginger adjuncts. This needs to be re-classified as an "Herb & Spice Beer", which is how I will be rating it. I will send a Change Request when I am done. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full, not quite creamy, but certainly solid. The taste was literally a liquified amuse-bouche, French for appetizers, but literally, something to amuse one's mouth. My mouth was first smiling, then giggling & finally, laughing unCANtrollably! This was just THAT good. The lime & ginger melded beautifully, creating a highly refreshing flavor. This wasn't a beer - it was an alcoholic premixed cocktail set-up! OMFG. Finish was crisp, dry & highly refreshing. Once I felt that I had sufficiently drank enough to get a feel for it, I added some vodka-flavored vodka from Faber Liquors, here in PA. Pre-COVID-19, the PLCB State Stores would have routine flash sales on Faber's products & over time, I amassed a nice little stash, perfect for the current environment. I CAN totes envision putting a buncha these CANs in a beach-bound Summer cooler along with some wee nip 50-ml bottles of voddy for a VERY pleasant afternoon. YMMV.

 

Pour is clear gold with bursting carbonation. Very violent crackling two finger head just sizzles down into the beer leaving a light skein of white bubbles.

Smell is very lime forward. going with lime forward, very sweet and sour lime smell, with a touch of white bread in the background.

Taste really brings out that lime and ginger combo! Surprised by the burst of ginger on the taste but not getting it on the nose. Flavor is kind of a sweet, and tart, bite of that ginger and lime taste.

Mouth feel is light but a bit sticky from the sweet and tart. Crackling carbonation in the mouth. Finish is dry and crisp with some spice pop on the back of the tongue.

Overall I really would rate this a solid 4.25. I like this beer a lot! As we approach the hotter months here in Vegas this would be a great thirst quencher. Yet herein lies the sticker. The website states availability as Spring only. Yet from what I have seen these beers, Test Kitchen beers, from this brewery are limited and possibly one offs. This would be sad because this beer needs to be in the regular rotation. With that as I continue to sip this quencher and rant on I really do go 4.25 for the overall. And to Left Hand, is it possible to keep this in the rotation?

I was expecting a test batch of this years Good Juju with lime thrown in as an after thought to sell but it is well balanced and can handle a shot of vodka.